


rest your soul and feed your brain

by CycloneRachel



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Buzzfeed Unsolved Fusion, Based On Buzzfeed Unsolved, M/M, Multi, One Shot Collection, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:09:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22153810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CycloneRachel/pseuds/CycloneRachel
Summary: aka the therapy road trip they didn't know they neededorthe Winndox Buzzfeed Unsolved AU, in no particular order
Relationships: James "Jimmy" Olsen & Winn Schott Jr., Querl Dox & James "Jimmy" Olsen, Querl Dox/Winn Schott Jr.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 15





	1. part 1

**Author's Note:**

> it's your girl Rachel, back with another Winndox vague-timeline anthology fic!
> 
> so I'm not sure when I first started thinking of this one, but thank you to Pesky, Carol, Brandi, and Julianne for giving me ideas for it! you all are lovely and I really like talking about this with you. And I hope people enjoy it!
> 
> (title from Ludo's "Lake Pontchartrain", an underrated jam)
> 
> (also fair warning, there may be some... suggestive comments. mostly from Winn. So just keep that in mind.)

Querl never thought he would be buried.

Coming from the family he did, of course, his death was on his mind considerably more than it would be if his last name weren’t Dox- but the act of being buried hadn’t once crossed it.

Were he to die on Earth, for example, he would choose to be cremated. His body would be wrapped in cloth and placed on a pyre, his remains would be burned beyond recognition, in pieces so small that nothing could be used to bring him back. They would be shot into space, or perhaps placed underneath the statue that the Legion may or may not erect in his honor, as a memorial after he passed. Whatever the case, he was certain that nobody would try to build a Brainiac from his ashes, and that was the last thing he wanted after his death.

Even though, at that point, he would be dead, he never wanted anyone else to deal with his family’s legacy.

Or, perhaps, he could die on Colu. That was always possible, even though he had long since cut ties with his planet, and never considered his family to be located there. They may choose to bring him to his home, and let him pass on in the traditional Coluan way. When he died, his body would indeed be disposed of, but his mind would live on- letting him go through a simulated reality of his choosing, giving him what many humans would think of as a paradise for the rest of eternity.

That was riskier, however, as that did give an opening for someone to remove the physical version of his mind from such a simulation, use it in whatever schemes they desired. They could manipulate him (even though, at that point, it wouldn’t be him) beyond recognition and build him a new body, creating the next Brainiac.

No, if he could help it (and as much as he enjoyed the idea of a virtual paradise, though he felt he didn’t deserve such a luxury) he was going to make sure he died on thirty-first century Earth.

But if there was another option, if by some accident he were to die (or be killed) in the twenty-first century, albeit still on Earth, he knew his friends there would probably give him their traditional version of burial.

He might, if he dictated it in his will, still be cremated (though he didn’t necessarily have to, as this time did not have as much technology for rebuilding Brainiacs as his own, LuthorCorp excluded), but otherwise, he would have a wake, a coffin, a funeral, a eulogy, a headstone, an epitaph.

And, if it was his decision, he would make sure there was one line on his epitaph, aside from the expected: _“This is Winn’s fault”._

Because, at this moment, trampling through these woods with Winn by his side (and if Winn didn’t also die, along with him) if he was going to suddenly be killed, this video project Winn had proposed would be why.

No matter how much he’d told Winn that, if it indeed existed as he proposed, he didn’t want to be killed by the Mothman.

“It’s completely safe, Brainy.” Winn said, when he went to him with these thoughts. “You’re not gonna die.”

“Did you run the odds on that?” Querl asked. “Can you be one hundred percent sure that neither of us are going to get killed?”

“…No.”

Winn’s face fell, as he realized that, and he knew that when he looked up again that Brainy would be disappointed in him.

But he was used to that, so he decided he was going to take it, and move on.

“That’s what I have you for.” He continued. “Not that I want you to be my living calculator or anything. But… if we work together on this, really, figure things out together… I think we’re gonna be okay.”

“You think so.” Querl answered. “As there is still a possibility we could die.”

“Not as much as the possibility that we won’t.” Winn shot back. “Come on, is it really too much for you to have a little faith in me?”

“Perhaps not.” Querl relented. “And to think, this was supposed to be therapy for the both of us.”

“It still can be!”

“If we don’t die.”

“If the Mothman really exists, and wants to kill us.”

At that, Querl stared at Winn, as Winn only looked at him blankly.

“What? What did I say?”

“If.” Querl answered. “You said, _“If the Mothman really exists.”_ Were you not the one trying to convince me of that, when we first started this?”

“Yeah, I guess.” Winn said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “But hey, you believe too, don’t you? You’re the one who keeps telling me we’re gonna die.”

“I was going along with you!” Querl insisted. “I- I just wanted to make you happy, as I thought that we would cooperate better on this project if we agreed on this- in this case, the existence of creatures such as the Mothman, and what they could do to us. Thus, my projection of your beliefs.”

Winn blinked, and started smiling at Querl, as they stopped where they were and James brought the camera around to capture their images as they continued talking.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Querl asked.

“Oh, no reason.” Winn said. “It’s just that- dude, you know you didn’t have to agree with me, right?”

“I didn’t?”

“No!”

Querl’s shoulders sagged, as he looked at him tiredly.

“Then what did I have to do?”

“I mean; I don’t want to _make_ you do anything.” Winn said. “I’m just saying, I’ve seen stuff like this before, and it’s a lot more entertaining when there are two competing perspectives. I’m the believer, you’re the skeptic, right? I’m the one who should be talking about us dying, and you’re the one calming me down, detailing all the reasons why we won’t.”

“…Oh.” Querl said. “I apologize.”

“It’s fine, we’re just starting out.” Winn answered. “We can take time to establish our dynamic.”

“Good. Because, if you’ll still have me, I want to have a second chance.”

“And you’ll have it, I promise.” Winn said.

“Thank you.”

“No problem. Besides-“ Winn paused, raising an eyebrow, “If we really do meet the Mothman, I don’t want him to kill me.”

“Then what do you want it to do?”

“Let’s just say… if I say it on Youtube, we’re going to be demonetized.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“…I want to fuck it.”


	2. part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> so this one takes place sometime after Winn and Brainy start dating? but early enough in this relationship that Brainy still has doubts about it.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you all like it!

“Winn, what would you do if I went missing?”

At that, Winn just has to stare- coming from Brainy, such a statement could be hypothetical, just a test to see how he would respond and probably judging his intellect based on that response. Or it could be Brainy bringing up a real possibility, and him still judging Winn.

Because as much as he tries, as much as Winn knows he’s somehow fond of him, Brainy still sometimes gives him the same judgmental looks as he did on the Legion ship when he decided Winn was a 1.42 level intellect, fixes him with the same gaze as when he’d derided the technology in the DEO and decided 31st century espresso machines were superior.

(Which Brainy wasn’t lying about- he’d tried them, and they were amazing. And not even mentioning stuff like the showers, which were so far beyond… he was tempted to sneak schematics out with him, was all he was saying.)

(And Winn would know. He spent a lot of time in the showers, sometimes cleaning himself, sometimes thinking, or cleansing his mind… sometimes singing _What is This Feeling_ and other songs loudly after he learned nobody could hear him, or sometimes just escaping everything else, especially his responsibilities and the Legionnaires’ expectations of him.

He wanted to know if Brainy had ever felt the same- but of course he didn’t. Brainy was perfect, as superior as the tech he espoused.)

So, at one point, Winn would have said he’d let him disappear.

It wasn’t very nice, but it was the honest truth for him a couple years ago- definitely better off for Winn himself, who in Brainy’s absence could’ve gone back and done his job (which already brought enough pressure, and gave him enough anxiety) without a twelfth-level intellect practically breathing down his neck, ready to point out every mistake and give him a solution that wasn’t even available to him.

And, actually, for a few blessed weeks, he had left- he and Imra both, which he also knew had made Mon-El less anxious. At least that situation made Winn feel better, as there were far more complicated emotions involved, far more love that Mon-El had to contend with. The man who’d called Winn his best friend- even though Winn wasn’t sure he was his- had a difficult choice to make, two people threatening to tear his heart in two, although they didn’t look threatening at all.

All Winn had to deal with was someone who seemingly had replaced him at Mon-El’s side, as his best friend. Someone who was also a genius, also a tech expert, also came from a terrible family with a terrible past- but every one of those attributes was just _more_ in Brainy. Which was further emphasized when he came back, and not helped by the fact that Lena was brought in to help with the Worldkiller problem.

(For God’s sake, she’d figured out how to fly the Legion ship, while Brainy was calling out orders- what was Winn to do in that situation? He’d just made Alex’s new suit, sure, but was that all he was good for? Why even bring him to the future, in that case?)

(Why did Brainy even want to be there with him, longer than he had to?)

“Winslow? Are you alright?”

Winn turns to him, suddenly conscious of the awkward silence that had ensued after Brainy asked his question.

“Yeah. I’m- I’m fine, Brainy. Just thinking.”

Brainy nods, looking tense.

“Very well, carry on.”

“Okay, well… I just wanted to know, why did you want to know? Are you planning to disappear, anytime soon? And would it even be a mystery, if you went missing and told me about it before you did?”

“Not if I did not inform you of where I was going.”

“Huh. I guess.”

“You still didn’t answer my question.” Brainy says. “What would you do?”

But maybe it is a test- maybe Brainy, as smart as he is, still isn’t sure of what he really means to Winn, after over a year apart, and about a cumulative year of the two of them being together, whether it’s at work or on the road. Maybe he’s afraid of going missing, or of losing himself- and he didn’t say what way he meant it in.

“You’re talking literally missing, right?” Winn asks. “Not like, losing your mind? And I know, you have too much of your mind to lose, obviously. But just… losing who you are. Becoming someone you aren’t.”

And Winn knows he can definitely relate to that.

“Yes, literally speaking.” Brainy answers. “Under mysterious circumstances, such as the case was for Agatha Christie, or Amelia Earhart.”

“Ah. I see.” Winn says, smiling now that the tension has lifted between them.

(was the camera light always on, as the camera was pointed at them? Could Winn, from the start of this conversation, see James’s shadow behind the camera, capturing this conversation secretly to put it on their website as something candid?)

(He wasn’t going to let it bother him. If the Internet wanted to see this… hell, let them.)

“Realistically?”

“Yes, Winn.”

“In that case… I mean, obviously I’d worry over you, Brainy. And maybe I’d look for you, or I’d ask our friends to.”

Brainy smiles, folding his hands in front of him on the table and giving the impression that he’s pleased with such a development.

“You would?”

“Yeah.” Winn says, like it isn’t clear now. “I mean, I know we were at each other’s throats for a while, but now, you know I’d really miss you.”

“I… I do know that.” Brainy answers.

“I’d continue the show, though.” Winn says. “Make an episode about your going missing. I can already see it- _The Shocking Disappearance of My Cohost_ , maybe. Or should it be _The Mysterious Disappearance of Querl Dox_?”

Brainy smacks him on the arm, lightly- but it still stings, for a second.

“You’re so insensitive.”

“Babe, come on, I’m joking. Of course I’d look for you. I’d look everywhere- every when, even- until you were back here, safe and sound.”

“Thank you.”

“…But in case you were wondering, yes, I would allow you to make an episode about my disappearance.”

“Good to know.”

Brainy kissed him on the cheek, and Winn smiled, kissing his nose when he turned to him.

“…we’re still talking like you’re not going missing, right? This is just a theoretical situation?”

Brainy doesn’t answer.

“Babe? Babe, you were just kidding, weren’t you?”

Brainy shakes his head, laughing.

“Did you know you’re very cute when you’re concerned?” he asks. “And I, too, would look tirelessly if you were missing.”

Winn smiles, again feeling so lucky that he’s gotten to this point with him. A time where they can joke, and mess with each other, but still know, at the end of the day, that their care for one another supersedes everything else.

“Glad to know _someone_ cares.”


	3. part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So... this is a little bit of a diversion. It is Winndox, and it is Buzzfeed Unsolved, which is why it isn't its own thing. But it's an AU where Winn and Brainy don't know each other before they start doing the thing, rather than one where it's basically "Winn returns to the 21st century and he and Brainy do a therapy road trip + also Winn wants to fuck the Mothman and there are also other Buzzfeed Unsolved-related things." 
> 
> Anyway this was inspired by the Mothman twitter account and I am not apologizing for how absurd this probably is. Also part of the blame for this may be on the Magnus Archives podcast.
> 
> I hope you all like it anyway!

The camera turns on, showing Winn- just Winn, for once. He’s staring at where the audience would be, with an expression in his eyes that could be considered haunted, or perhaps bewildered. His eyes are wide, certainly, and he’s leaning slightly over the desk, hands out in front of him, held in a sort of tented position. He seems to be waiting for someone, his lips pursed, and he stands and looks at someone slightly off to the side.

“James? Are you getting this?” he asks.

James nods, and focuses the camera on him closer, as Winn sits down again.

His voice is hushed, as he continues.

“Hey. Okay, so… I probably shouldn’t be doing this. If he finds out, _he_ might kill me, and get James to take over for me- even though all the comments talk about how funny I am, or how much I do my research. Well, actually, they give me long lists of nitpicks and corrections on the subject of my research, and they say how funny it is when I scream, or make dirty jokes. Even though me screaming is completely normal for the kind of thing I’m doing here, and I actually don’t make that many dirty jokes. They’re not that dirty anyway. Whatever.

The point is… this is about… I’m investigating Brainy. My partner- not that way. Even though he is cute, and I am very bisexual. He’s like a young Keanu Reeves, in how he looks- it’s actually kind of freaky, looking at them side by side. But in a nice way. Anyhow, you already know what he looks like, because we’re friends, and we do this show every week for you guys.”

Winn pauses, looking up at James, expression cautious. He turns back to the camera.

“I might not actually release this. Or it could go up on our Patreon page, and I would just have to make sure he doesn’t see it, or put it under an unassuming title so he doesn’t suspect anything and doesn’t want to click on it. He already doesn’t check anything on our computer anyway, I’ve never seen him use it, but somehow he still knows all the statistics of our videos, so I feel like I could get away with that. Maybe something about sex tapes, it’s really funny the reaction that gets whenever I bring them up. Anyway. If I do release this, it’s going to be because I feel like you all should know something about Brainy. Something I want to say I’ve suspected all along, given how much I already liked researching this kind of stuff, but embarrassingly enough, I’ve only started putting the pieces together recently.

Wow, I’m delaying this a lot. I’m sorry- to the audience, and to myself. Maybe I’m not saying it because I don’t feel like I can? Like if I do say it, he’ll hear, and he’ll find me. I don’t think he would hurt me if he found out I was doing this. After all, we are friends. Or at least, I hope we still are. I don’t know. Maybe this is the last recording I’ll ever do, and he’ll find this, and he’ll leave. I… don’t want to lose him, as much of a know-it-all as he is. I’m the believer, I need my skeptic, you know? That’s just how things should be. It’s the natural dynamic, and without it, we’d lose viewers. I would lose viewers. So maybe I won’t put this up online. But if I do, and we keep going… assume he hasn’t found it, or that he’s okay with it.

Maybe I just don’t want to admit it out loud, because it’ll make me sound insane. Like I’m headed for a downward spiral, like my dad- except instead of taking my anger out on the partner who stole my patent, and ending up killing people who weren’t him instead, I’ll be the conspiracy theory guy who got too obsessed with what he was so interested in, and it’ll end up ruining my friendship with… with one of the only people who really knows me well, and gets me. Or at least I thought he did.

Do I hate Brainy, for hiding so much? Am I angry at him, because he keeps so many secrets? I don’t think so. I’m not. I’m just… well, can you blame me for being interested, and maybe a little bit suspicious? That’s the only name he’s ever given me, to tell me to call him. He started emailing me, after I put up the video asking for people to do that if they wanted to host this show with me, and almost too quickly- within the day, actually, once I’d made sure he wasn’t an axe-murderer or any other kind of murderer, like my dad, and that he genuinely wanted to do this with me and didn’t want to make fun of my videos, he was there for the interview. And then he was hired, after I said something about tomatoes being fruits, and he insisted on them being vegetables, and we argued about it for like an hour. Actually fun times, believe it or not.

He’s never told me where he lives, or where he grew up, or how old he is, other than I know that he’s around my age and his birthday is December 30th. I remember because it’s 5 days after mine, and I saw him circle it on the calendar once. I know he was homeschooled, but he never gave any details on that, and for how long he was homeschooled. He doesn’t have any siblings. His parents raised him together until he was eight years old, when they separated and his father raised him. He hasn’t said anything about what happened afterwards, or where his mother went, or anything else about his life- he changes the subject, asking about my family instead, and whenever he’s admitted these things to me he always looks at me like he’s being held at gunpoint while saying them, even though I honestly want to know because he’s just so goddamn mysterious. And you all know how much of a difficult subject my family is for me. But for his credit, he listens, and it’s kind of nice.

Oh god, I’m rambling. But I have a point with this, I promise.

I don’t doubt that Brainy is a good person. I don’t doubt that he likes me- or at least, doesn’t hate me. He hasn’t left me, which is a virtue all on its own, and he listens to me, with- it feels like he understands me, whenever I talk about my parents and describe how their abandonment felt. What it was like to see my dad arrested, to be interrogated about his murder and under constant scrutiny afterwards from my foster families because at any time I could snap and become just like him. How it felt to sit in the police station, waiting for my mother, but she never came back for me.

Maybe this is why I won’t release this video. I’ve only ever told him that, and I’ve tried not to tell anyone that my father is Winslow Schott, the notorious Toyman. I even use my nickname, Winn, and my mom’s maiden name, McGowan, for these videos… but I know I’m still a Schott, and that potential is inside me. Like a ticking time bomb.”

Winn sighs.

“I hope I’m not turning out like him. I want to think I’m using whatever I got from my father for good- though I can’t really tell whether or not this is a good use for the skills I do have. And maybe this, what happens if Brainy finds out, will be the nail in the coffin for me. What sets me down the path to becoming the Toyman, just like my dad.

I don’t want to.

But… if anyone from the future is listening, consider this the secret origin story of… something. The play that was never released, the first edition book that’s different from all the others, the action figure that was recalled for a defect, the hidden Easter egg in a video game or the comic that only ever got one printing or the unaired pilot of a TV show or a movie that never even made it to DVD. I think this metaphor ran away from me. Point is. If you’re seeing this, count yourself lucky, because you’re one of a few- if anyone other than James and I see this at all.”

Winn pauses again, turns to James.

“You’re not gonna leak this on Youtube, are you?”

“No.”

“Good man.” Winn says. “Thank you.”

He turns back to the camera, and continues talking, all the while also continuing to gesture with his hands, as though he were truly in a living, animated conversation with the audience.

“And keep in mind, I don’t say all of this stuff because I want his career to be ruined, or because I’m jealous of him, or anything. I just think he’s so… I’ve already used the words interesting, and suspicious, and mysterious, and cute. He’s all of those things, but he transcends description. He’s a walking enigma, and I wish I were worthy of knowing his secrets.

He’s my friend, and I can’t help noticing things like… well. He always wakes up earlier than I do. That’s probably because I always stay up late. But one time, I woke up first, and saw him get up out of bed. And he… I don’t know how to say this. He touched his face, and it- shifted? And I don’t think it was the light coming in from outside- I swear to you, his face looked blue. All of him did. He touched it again, and he looked like he always does otherwise, but I’ve never forgotten that. It might’ve been an early-morning dream kind of thing, like when you’re half asleep and half-awake. But it felt real.

And then there’s things like what I mentioned before- he always seems to know exactly what our statistics are, even though I’ve never seen him use our computer. Any kind of technical problem, he fixes it- without even moving, or touching it. Most of the time I don’t even have to ask him, he just knows. Knows _everything_. Comes in real handy, can’t say I’m not grateful, but also…

Oh! Also, one time, I caught him sitting on the roof of our trailer, and when I called his name, he jumped down- but it was slower, somehow, than normal jumping. Like he was kind of… not flying. But hovering, maybe. Or falling with style. But whatever it is, I couldn’t have done it. And I’ve tried to scare him, since then, and make him jump. Hasn’t worked, but I’m gonna keep trying, mark my words.”

“Marking them.” Calls James, and Winn rolls his eyes.

“Anyway. All of these things… and the fact that because he’s only introduced himself by his pretentious nickname, and never given me his real name- God knows I’ve tried to find it- I can’t look him up in any way and verify that he exists- I don’t know how to explain them. I want to- that’s the whole point of this show, solving the unsolvable, explaining the unexplainable, playfully arguing with each other along the way, sometimes scaring the shit out of each other but mostly just enjoying each other’s company. But the two first things are the most important, and how am I supposed to call myself a good solver of mysteries if I can’t come to a solid conclusion on the person who’s probably my best friend? Besides you, James.”

“Thank you.”

“And Kara and Alex, back home. But they’re not gonna see this. Probably. That doesn’t matter. Point is… the whole idea of this long, twisting rant… I have reason to believe that my collaborator, my partner, my friend, Brainy… isn’t human. And I don’t know what he is, exactly, or who he is, or where he’s from. He could be the Mothman. He could be what he calls a Necrofriggian. He could be any of the other cryptids I totally did my research on and didn’t just see while watching shows about them on TV, or reading Wikipedia entries. Or- and this is the most absurd one- he might even be from another planet. Is he an alien, or a cryptid? Or is he just a completely normal guy who’s fucking with me, and I’m the one who’s talking myself in circles over nothing? Whatever the case, it looks like the impenetrable identity of my cohost is, for now, a case that’s going to remain-“

“Winn? Why are you recording an episode without me? What’s this about?”

“Oh shi-“

“James, turn that off, please.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so I've been kind of stuck for this AU, which means you get a few of the shorter oneshots I've written for it before!
> 
> the first is something that I and my friend Carol/evelyne-hugc have talked about, featuring Brainy getting possessed and waking up from it afterwards  
> the second is from the prompt "did that just move?" given by my friend Pesky/peskyshortcake  
> and the third is from the prompt "because you're my best friend, dummy" given by my friend Brandi/padawanton

Querl wakes up all at once.

He’s aware that he still went on living, for the past few days. But it was as though he were aligned again- no.

Not exactly.

More like when the Aurafacian took over- something suppressing his own mind, taking control of his body and making him watch. As though he were pushed underwater, and something else pretending to be him had risen from the surface- a twisted copy, a flawed replica.

But now he’s broken through, someone has given him back his control, and he’s breathing heavily, taking everything in simultaneously-

“Querl?”

Winn is there.

“Brainy, hey. Slow down, babe. Just… take things slow. You’re okay. Everything is alright now.”

“Wha- what happened?” he says. Blood is trickling from his nose again, and he’s on the floor of somewhere he doesn’t recognize. There are symbols around him, drawn in what looks like a circle, and two other people are there besides Winn.

“What you just experienced, Querl Dox, was your first spirit possession.” One of the others, a British man in a trenchcoat, says. “Happens to many people. In your case, your boyfriend was smart enough to recognize it early, and brought you here before it could do real damage. You’re lucky.”

“I should’ve been smarter.” He answers, shivering. “I- I am a twelfth-level intellect, I should have seen this… this spirit, and been able to avoid it. Winslow and I have been studying all of this, as much as I didn’t believe it to be real, but I still listened to him. I should have-“

“Don’t beat yourself up over it.” The other man says. “Happens to a lot of people. I’m Gary, by the way, and this is John Constantine.”

“Guilty.” Constantine says, and Querl feels a sudden warmth- Winn has draped a blanket around him.

Querl, in response, hugs Winn.

“Glad you’re back.” He says, holding him too.

“So am I. That was… thoroughly unpleasant, to say the least.”

“Sorry. And, hey. You don’t have to beat yourself up over this- like Gary said. I, um… I should’ve been there. And there really was no way you could’ve prevented it anyway, twelfth-level intellect or not.”

“Is that supposed to be comforting?”

“…Yeah?”

“Luckily for you, it worked.”

Winn gently brushes his hair away from his face, and kisses Querl on his forehead.

“Want me to get you some tea?”

“Let me do it.” Constantine says. “You just stay with him. Keep him warm.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice.”

~

Querl had grown used to the routine, as he and Winn continued with their online series. There was a lot of driving, Winn sometimes forgetting the directions, but ultimately they would reach their destination and sleep in their RV, then start filming in the morning- or sometimes at night, when it was necessary. James would follow them, filming everything and editing it afterwards, Kara would transcribe and promote it, and after all necessary filming and editing was complete, the video would be released. Then they would move on, and the cycle would repeat.

Until this night, when Winn decided to sleep inside the house they were investigating. And, because Winn couldn’t just sleep alone, he asked Brainy to sleep in the house with him.

So they were here, now, both of them in sleeping bags close to one another with a blanket over them, and Winn was holding Querl very close.

“Did that just move?” he asked, pointing shakily to a shadow on the floor.

“That’s our filming equipment.” Querl said.

“No, not that.” Winn insisted. “ _That_ one. Does it look like a spider to you?”

Querl sighed.

“Winn, if it is a spider, you can squish it with your shoe. Or I will. We are not going to die.”

“And you can guarantee that?”

“I will.”

“Fine.” Winn answered. “If I die, my ghost is going to haunt you.”

“Do not count on it.” Querl said confidently, and as they lay down together, he held Winn close as well.

And in the morning, when both of them woke up (mercifully not dead) they were still holding one another, and Winn only snuggled him closer.

 _My hero_ , Querl swore Winn whispered, but there was no way he could confirm it.

 _You’re my hero too_ , Querl said, hoping Winn heard it.

~

Sometimes, things weren’t the easiest with them.

Sometimes, the lack of space in their shared RV got to them, and either Winn or Brainy would need to go outside for some air during the night, sleeping out under the stars after arguing over said space.

Sometimes, one of them would have nightmares, and the other would shake them awake, and they would want to keep away from each other until a sense of calm was reached again.

Sometimes, their arguments in any circumstance would get too heated, and they would have to ask James to stop filming until they became “Youtube-safe” again, before they came to blows.

(James, of course, kept filming for their blooper reel- but he would never admit that to them)

Sometimes, they’d steal each other’s clothes by accident, which was more awkward than anything, but still uncomfortable until they managed to organize their clothes again.

Sometimes, one of them would request time alone for whatever reason, and the other would respect their space- albeit watching from afar, seeing them look so miserable.

But in any case, the two of them did argue, and bicker and fight and disagree, and whatever other synonyms they could use, and yet still they drove on, continuing their mission to solve cases and attempt to find cryptids that Brainy still insisted didn’t exist.

And sometimes, one of them would question that.

“Winn?” Querl asked.

“Yeah?” he said, from the driver’s seat. As much as he would’ve liked to have autopilot, like in the Legion ship (which perhaps would’ve made his transition back into using 21st century technology much easier) Brainy insisted that he couldn’t make any changes to their RV, nearly threatening him with memory erasure if he didn’t comply.

(Winn took this seriously, and the car remained as it was.)

“Why do you stay?” Querl said. “Why… we’ve been on this trip for nearly a year. And we still haven’t gone back. What is the reason for that?”

“Because you’re my best friend, dummy.” Was Winn’s response. “I- no, you’re not a dummy. You’re the smartest person I know. Smarter than I could ever be. And I know, we didn’t really get the chance to become friends at first, but now I think we know each other, right?”

“Indeed.”

“And because of that, we’ve really become used to each other- so even when we fight, or whatever, we know- well, I know, I can’t speak for you- that it’ll be okay. We’ll get back together, and keep going, and… I don’t know. This just kind of feels like healing, for me. Getting to relax, with nothing expected of me- doing things on my own terms, for once. And I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have with me on this trip than you.”

Querl blinked, looking over at Winn in awe, for once speechless due to his words.

“Brainy, are you _crying_?”

“…These are tears of logic.” He said. “And of joy. I could not ask for a better friend, either. Especially a better best friend, after my last…”

“Wait a second.” James interrupted. “Winn, I thought I was your best friend.”

“I can have more than one!” he said. “It’s fine. We can all be best friends with each other, it’ll be okay.”

And as Querl smiled, wiping his tears away, he found that it already was.


End file.
